Celebrities and sport stars should not be paid the millions or billions of what they are worth in light of the publicity surrounding their private lives. Justice to the society is best served when these irresponsible people are sentenced to jail time and/or community service. The punishment is to remove them for the eyes of public altogether. No special treatment should be given to anyone with the potential to harm others and themselves.
Dogfighters, such as with the Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, should not get away with harming animals. Animals are living creatures and should not be bred to harm each other. The evidence has been presented by the prosecutor and this black guy should receive full sentencing as allowed by the court. This sets a bad example for those who like killing as a hobby and this sends out a very bad image to their fans.
Steroid users, such as with Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Greg LeMond, are other sports stars who should be punished for harming themselves. A recent death by a wrestling star, Chris Benoit, is an extreme case whereby the industry encourages its stars to represent the image of strength and vitality. The push for winning has taken a toll on the health of the drug users unfortunately and death is always a possibility whenever there is money involved to increase revenue.
Alcoholics are prevalent recently by popular celebrities, such as Paris Hilton, Nichole Ritchie and Lindsey Lohan. These people have personal problems but that does not mean they should potentially harm motorist, pedestrians and others while intoxicated and driving behind the wheels. There really is no excuse for those with lots of money and the beauty that goes behind this wealth to get the media attention in this manner. The message is clearly selfish and anti-social at best.
There is, however, a responsibility by these public figures not to disappoint their fans. These fans are mostly young and their minds are quite impressionable. They idolize and look up to these celebrities and sport stars in hopes of one day becoming as successful and popular as their imaginations would dictate. If these people cannot handle the limelight, there are others to take their places and set a better example for others to follow.
Once again and depending how the fans react, bad publicity could affect the income of the rich. And some, like the popular singer Michael Jackson, may end up in the poor house. The rich assume that they will not get caught and that people will not complain and file a lawsuit against any atrocities done – real or imagined. The media has allowed the public to realize that laws have been set up to protect some people (and animals) from any clear and present danger and any future harm by others and from themselves. Although the legal system is not always perfect, there is room for those willing to improve their behavior to better conform to the norms and standards of society.
I feel the sports and entertainment industry may not be worth the investment if certain people continue to misbehave badly and in public. Their actions cost us taxpayers lots of money to bring them to court. These are obvious menace to society and yet, because they are under public scrutiny, may have a delay in their sentencing and all because, once again, the rich have the means to weasel their way out of any sentencing or jail term by paying large sums of money. I believe the court system is making money in this manner one way or another from illegal activities by the rich.
The responsibility for celebrities and sport stars is both moral and ethical. They are in the public and are paid to represent their company well. The embarrassment endured by the family and friends may be avoided as well but noone is perfect. These types of people owe themselves a lot for putting up with the likes of photographers and interviewers. They especially owe society a perspective as to why they think they could continue to ruin an already well paid job or hard earned position among the elite. I really would like to know how they can smile for the camera after all the trouble of they have caused for being true to them selves.
Copyright © 2007 by Fluffy von der Flynn. All rights reserved.